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Tuesday, October 12, 2010

Srinagar Oct 12 (Only Kashmir): In the past three years, the National Confernce-Congress coliation government in Jammu and Kashmir has spent more than Rs nine crore on renovation and face-lift of 42 official residences of ministers, legislators and bureaucrats, in brazen violation of its own rules.Some Rs 3.4 crore have been spent on renovation of 18 official residences in Jammu and about Rs 5.88 crore on 24 houses in Srinagar, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah informed the Assembly on Saturday.Renovation of the two official residences of Finance Minister Abdul Rahim Rather in Jammu and Srinagar has cost the most — a little over Rs one crore.This is in violation the government’s November 11, 2009 order that states that a maximum of Rs 18 lakh can be spent to renovate a Cabinet minister’s bungalow over a period of six years.Rs 15 lakh can be spent on the bungalows of junior ministers and Rs 10 lakh and Rs five lakh respectively on the houses of commissioner secretaries and secretaries to the state government.In the past three years, the government has also spent Rs 59.51 lakh to renovate the Srinagar bungalow of Medical Education Minister R S Chib and Rs 40.88 lakh, including Rs 17.20 lakh in the current financial year, on Minister of State for Haj and Auqauf Minister Ajaz Khan’s bungalow.The state government has also spent Rs 18.20 lakh to give a face-lift to the J&K Bank guest house at Zeethyar in Srinagar.The guest house was used by former Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad as his official residence.